Storage and dispensing tank for liquids



Mar. 6, 1923;

J. M. FITZ GERALD- STORAGE AND DISPENSING TANK FOR LIQUIDS Filed Jan.

pumps, valves and other elements subject to being tampered with or tounauthorised use. To this-end I provide a cast iron pot-like open-topreceptacle having downwardly and inwardly sloping side walls 15, a topflange 16 adapted to overlie the top edge the neck-wall of the tank, anda bottom wall 17 having a flanged opening 18 for a filling plug and aflanged opening 19 adapted to receive the pump 20. This pot-like deviceconstitutes the closure for the main body portion of the tank. Itprovides also a base for supporting certain hand-operable parts, and itconstitutes also a housing or receptacle for pump elements, etc. Animportant advantage of its provision is the safety it ail ords theinflammable contents of the tank in case of fire nearby when only theneck portion of the tank is exposed, as in Fig. 1, a materially largedead-air space being thus interposed between the tank contents and thefire.

In order to hold the pot-like member tightly, securely and readilyremovably within the neck of the tank I provide tour bolts 22 which areembedded in the concrete when cast and which project normally verticallyupward. A gasket 23 of soft material such as cork is first placed uponthe top surface of the neck wall and the flange 16 of the pot-likemember is applied to rest upon the packing 23, the flange 16 havingholes 2 1 for the bolts Thereupon nuts 25 are applied to the bolts andthe potlike member 15 is held in tight and secure relation upon andwithin the neck portion of the tank.

The device comprises also a flanged overlying cover 26, made in mypractice of cast iron. It is held at one place upon the flange 16 of thepot-like member through the provision of an extension of the coverhaving a recess shown at 27 (Figs. 2 and 5) which engage a rib orprojection 28 on a similarly extended part of the flange 16, these twoparts interlocking with each other there when in operative positionwhile being readily separable. Diametrically opposite to thisinterlocking device I secure the cover 26 by means of a padlock 30 theshackle or which passes through a hole in a normally downwardlyprojecting web 31 integral with the cover. This web 31 interiits withthe recess 32 in the flange 16 (Fig. 3) and the extensions 34 of theflange 16 enter the re-' 'cesses 35 defined by the flange 36 of the Thefilling device shown in Fig. 4 co1nprises a simple screw plug 34:threaded into the gateway 18. lit has a vent opening 35 for the escapeof pressure from the main body of the tank. A strainer 36 is also shown.

The piston pump 20, which may be con sidered as of well-known operativeparts, has an operating handle 36 which is available ;tor use only whenthe overlying cover is removed. A pipe 37 leads from the pump cylinderto the bottom of the tank. A flexible pipe or hose 38 leads from the discharge port of the pump, and is coiled within the receptacle 15 when notin use. This flexible pipe 38 and the can shown by dotted lines in Fig.1 illustrate how a supply of the liquid may be obtained upon removingthe cover 26. The pump is bolted upon the flange around the opening 19and may readily be removed.

The pot-like receptacle may also be read ily removed, for gaining accessto the main body interior of the tank, and in such case the pump andfilling device come away bodily with it.

An important use for a device of this kind is in railroad practicewheresupplies oil oil, gasolene, etc, must be maintained at intervalsalong the right of way. The princi] desiderat-a in thatservice, andwhich are met by my improved construction, are a relatively largesupply, provision against the danger of theft of the product and.against the danger of explosions or other conllagrations through firescaused by passing locomotives, provisions for easy filling anddischarge, strength, ease of handling, and length of life in service.While I am aware that various details and parts of my improved deviceare separately well known I have thus provided a structure of unusualadvantage in the uses for which it has been designed.

Reference should be had to the appended claims to determine the scope ofthe improvements herein set forth.

I claim: I

1. As a new article of manufacture a storage and dispensing tank havinga diaphragm dividing it into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, theupper chamber being open at the top, hand-operable liquidiilling meansand hand-operable liquid-dispensing means carried bodily by saiddiaphragm so as to be removable with the diaphragm from the tank whenthe diaphragm is removed, said means respectively having all of theirhand-operable parts within the upper chamber, a cover overlying theupper chamber whereby access may not be had to said hand-operable partsexcept upon removal of said cover, and means protected by the cover whenthe cover is in operative position for holding the diaphragm readilyremovably in its operative position.

2. As a new article of manufacture a storage and dispensing tank havinga lower relatively large body portion and an upper relatively small neckportion open at the top, a removable cover overlying the neck portion,an open-top pot-like closure-andreceptacle device readily removably heldwithin the neck portion and forming substantially a closure for the bodyportion, hand-operable filling and dispensing apparatus carried bodilyby said pot-like device within the area of said neck portion andremovable from the tank when said potlike device is removed.

8. As a new article of manufacture a storage and dispensing tankcomprising a liquid-tight inner tank of sheet metal, there being on saidinner tank a substantially heavy reinforced coating of concrete or thelike, means in liquid-tight association with the tank walls for dividingthe tank into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, the upper chamberbeing open at the top, an overlying cover for the upper chamber, andfilling and dispensing apparatus carried by said tank-dividing means andhaving handoperable parts in said upper chamber, said hand-operableparts being entirely within the upper chamber 'when said overlying-cover is in its tank-closing position.

l. As a new article of manufacture a cast monolithic open-top tankhaving a liquid-tight lining, means forming a deadair chamber in thenormally upper portion thereof, said upper portion being open at thetop, said means including areadily removable intermediate diaphragm inliquidtight relation to the tank walls and an up per cover readilyremovably mounted for convenient access to said upper chamber, thediaphragm being mounted for removal only upon removal of the upper coverto gain access to the lower chamber of the tank. a

5. The combination of walls forming a tank having a relatively largebody por tion and a relatively small neck portion extending upward andopen at the top, an

intermediate closure device having a bottom wall and side walls andextending JOHN M. FITZGERALD.

